[Tilly]

- Been at it again    just finished Daisy .. (OH thinks I`m losing the plot making Dolls!) --Do I care- No .....
I think Her heads a bit big  !!!! but over all quite pleased with end result.
--Took several hours moulding and broke many needles in the process,
 I am interested in the dyeing post, as  the Dylon fabric dye on the wool was not very effective.
Tilly

[Bionic]

Oh, I love her.  Can't wait to see what you poduce net
Sally

[lachlanandmarcus]

She's adorable - love her!!! Crikey you are clever!

[little blue]

she's fab!
do you do goats too? 

[Rosemary]

Her head IS a wee bit horsey but she's brilliant. Hereford, I think? Or Shorthorn?

[SallyintNorth]

Her head IS a wee bit horsey but she's brilliant. Hereford, I think? Or Shorthorn?

Horsey head?  Montbeliarde or South Devon. 

[Fleecewife]

You are very clever    You could almost milk that udder 

[Tilly]

--- based on old photo`s of" Daisy", my first cow, she was a traditional Hereford.
I had hoped to get that lovely rich red coat colour but as I suspected the dyeing came out really dull.
----Anybody got suggestions on natural dyes to achieve animal colours?
I am also tempted to look out for just a few nice coloured wool sheep       to buy and to mix in with the commercials so I have got some different textures and shades of wool.
It is definately the time of year to get "crafty" with these long evenings.......

Tilly

[Fleecewife]

 I can't think of a sheep breed which has that lovely rich dark red you are looking for, but you might get it by dyeing a moorit Shetland, Castlemilk Moorit , moorit type Soay fleece or even a reddish brown alpaca with madder and alum, or cochineal (I don't like the idea of crushing all those little insect bodies  ). I think Ladies Bedstraw root also gives a red if you can find enough and dig it up....

When you choose your coloured specimen sheep, don't forget to include a Blue Texel which gives a lovely steely blue/grey.  Oh, you would have such fun choosing just which animals to keep.  I used to have a 'fleece flock' of various breeds and crosses, all wethers, whose fleeces pleased me.  Sadly long gone now.

[Lesley Silvester]

she's fab!
do you do goats too? 

  Yes do try a goat.

[Sylvia]

Her head IS a wee bit horsey but she's brilliant. Hereford, I think? Or Shorthorn?

Definitely Shorthorn   I am awed at some folk's cleverness How did you do it?

[Tilly]

Hi Sylvia
 I am afraid I didn`t take any pictures of the "making of Daisy" but here is Dilly the Dartmoor  ... a little explanation and piccies of how it`s done
--- All you need are a few needle felting needles  and a little washed wool and basically if you keep stabbing the wool its` fibres  intertwine and create a  solid  mass and with the more  stabbing you do the harder the wool mass becomes then you can mould it into any shape.   I make animals body, head and legs separately then join them together  again making deep needle actions which bond all parts firmly together
Finished--

[SallyintNorth]

Dilly is amazing.  You are very talented, Tilly.

[doganjo]

Anyone watch Kirsty Allsop last night - she was at the Great York Show and won with a handmade cushion.  One of the entries was a Yorkshire Tea cup made this way with felting needles.  It didn't look easy!

[Bionic]

Annie,
I have been watching Kirtsy for the last couple of weeks.  I missed the first shows as I didn't realise it was on. 
Its great to have a craft show on TV. I think its something lacking.

I remember the days of Houseparty, many many years ago. They made a cake and showed different crafts. I wish there were more shows like it. 
Sally